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Albert Frederick of Prussia

Kaliningrad, 29 Apr 1553 – Primorsk, 27 Aug 1618

11 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 29 Apr 1553

    Born in Kaliningrad

  2. 1568–1618

    Duke of Prussia

  3. 1576–1587

    4 children are born

  4. 27 Aug 1618

    Dies in Primorsk, aged 65

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 4

During his lifetime

He lived through 7 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Kaliningrad.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1550s · Albert is born in Kaliningrad

In the news1550

Introduction of a new law code

In 1550, the government introduced the Sudebnik, a new code of laws that established standardized legal procedures for trials and investigations across the realm.

What it cost

Cost of housing and livestock

Around the mid-16th century, a typical house was valued at 3 rubles. Livestock was relatively affordable, as 4 cows and 20 sheep could be purchased for 4 rubles and 16 altins.

Music

Instrumental music at the ducal court

Court musicians in Königsberg used specialized manuscripts, such as partbooks from c. 1558, for performing instrumental music with lutes and other instruments.

Daily life

Rewards for school children

The Duke rewarded children who successfully memorized their catechism and hymns during school inspections with small gifts of money or cloth for clothing.

Work

Agriculture and craft defined rural life

Agriculture dominated the economy, with peasants often performing forced labor (corvée) on manorial estates for two to three days a week by 1550, a practice that intensified over time. Rural villages also supported specialized craftsmen such as millers, blacksmiths, and brewers who provided essential services to the local community.

Getting around

Duration of long-distance journeys

Long-distance journeys were slow and highly variable; for instance, a trip between Reval and Lübeck typically took four weeks, but could extend to four months in winter.

At the table

Everyday drinks: beer and mead

While some regions imported wine, ordinary people in the surrounding Prussian and Polish territories primarily drank beer. Honey was also abundant and frequently used to make mead.